Coming Up For Air

Hey-oh, blog readers! I have been mired in work-work, as you well know, and we're all sick of hearing/talking about it. This is the first time in a month that I've felt the space in my brain to come here to blogger.com. I finally decided yesterday, after a meeting with yet another manager, that no one wants to hear me whine about this anymore. I can feel overwhelmed, of course! It's my prerogative! But no one (particularly at work) has to know. Just go on about the work, get it done, whatever. Note to my family and friends, I may still want to whine to you once in a while. It's necessary to get it out. 

[Just two quick things, though, for my own memory! Our US manager resigned (he who had just become my immediate manager). And now we're in a transitional period with two gentlemen from HQ in Germany leading the way taking the helm (we'll see if they actually "lead"). And also I am required at a meeting in Germany at the end of April! And no one is offering me any promotion or pay-raise! Dear Shawn keeps mentioning indeed.com. He's right to do so.]

I also read somewhere (and was inspired by) the notion that if you're letting your entire mood be dictated by work, you're giving work too much attention/weight in your life. Interesting. I've been pondering that ever since. Maybe I agree. 

ANNNYWAY.... Kate's golden birthday brunch was a success! She did such a good job, with the help of one friend, planning and executing the day. I loved it. I love that she did it herself, the way she wanted. 

Photo wall! Loved this!

She told them all to wear pink/red :)

Heart-shaped waffles *swoon*

So festive!

I tried to stay out of the way and was mostly successful, although I did require that they remember to cut the cake and sing Happy Birthday, which may not have happened otherwise, they were so preoccupied with taking pictures of each other and then reviewing every single shot. ;) 

In other updates, don't ask about the diet I mentioned, it is stalled. Volleyball season doesn't make for good eating habits, and we have been at sports facilities every other weekend, so. Also I discovered an excellent cookie recipe when I needed to use up the rest of the pink and red M&Ms. Whatever. My V8 still sits in the fridge, ha! 

One thing I've been working on is plantar fasciitis, via physical therapy twice a week. It's interesting. While I love having a dedicated hour of basically working out my lower body, I don't love paying for it - PT is expensive and it's the beginning of the deductible year, ugh. We do squats and bridges, some calf stretching but not as much as I thought, and a terrible situation called "Stool Scoots," where I have to use the power of my heel-to-toe motion to move myself across the floor on a wheeled stool. (It's hard!) Nor do I know that any of it is really helping? I can't tell. I guess the intent is to strengthen all the muscles connected to the foot/fascia, but I don't know. I still wake up with foot pain. Mayyyybe it's a bit lessened since starting PT. Mayyyybe I don't have pain as often when I get up from a chair. I'm trying to pay attention but the therapist today said, "Well, it won't be like magic," so that was discouraging. Why can't it be like magic?! 

Still, it's been a good distraction from work, not that I'm talking about that. ;) 

Oh, another new tidbit! I'm ordering from a meal subscription again. Not Hello Fresh, but its cheaper cousin, Every Plate. We've gotten one box and the meals were mostly thumbs up. Not spectacular, but serviceable, and I don't have to shop for every item and that has been a help. Today I made a broccoli-cheese soup from them, for lunch, which was delicious.